The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to a method and system for providing and monitoring multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource via a dial hunt group.
One of the most common and cost effective means for providing consumers, private citizens and business entities alike, with access to certain services, like the Internet, is through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). For example, users can access the Internet on a personal computer with a modem by dialing a telephone number associated with their Internet service provider. Such xe2x80x9cdial-upxe2x80x9d access, where many users dial the same telephone number to access the same service, is often provided by means of xe2x80x9cdial hunt groups.xe2x80x9d A dial hunt group is a tool for providing multiple users with simultaneous access to a service via the PSTN. Dial hunt groups and automatic directors for routing calls to different numbers are known in the art and described briefly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,815 by Grewal, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,428 by Sestak, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,867 by Epler. These patents are hereby incorporated by reference. In addition to on-line data services like the Internet, other applications for dial hunt groups include facsimile delivery services, automated audio response services for electronic banking, and specialized voice transport such as voice over IP services.
A dial hunt group consists of multiple circuits, with each circuit capable of serving a single dial-in user session. When a user dials the service, he or she is assigned to a particular circuit within the dial hunt group. Subsequent users will be assigned to other circuits. When a user hangs up or is disconnected, the circuit that he or she was using becomes available for another user. When all circuits in the dial hunt group are simultaneously in use, any additional users are prevented from accessing the service via the dial hunt group. These users are said to be xe2x80x9cblockedxe2x80x9d from accessing the service over the dial hunt group. For example, due to the Internet""s increasing popularity, some Internet service providers have had a difficult time keeping up with consumer demand for access. The net result is often a high number of blocked callers. Typically these callers hear a busy signal, although other options, such as announcements informing users about service congestion, are possible.
One measure of the performance of a dial hunt group is xe2x80x9cgrade of servicexe2x80x9d (GOS). GOS is a measure, over some time interval, of the percentage of calls that are blocked from accessing the service over the dial hunt group because all circuits in the hunt group are busy.
A service provider employing a dial hunt group may have reason to provide different grades of service to different groups of callers. For example the service provider may charge a higher subscription rate for a higher GOS (i.e., fewer calls blocked). One traditional method to achieve different grades of service is to create separate dial hunt groups for each subscriber group and have members of each group call into their own dial hunt group. However, this approach requires a large number of circuits and, since the cost of providing a service over dial hunt groups is a function of the total number of circuits, it is not very efficient.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a more efficient system and method for implementing and monitoring different levels of dial-up access to a given resource. Such a system would reduce the overall number of required circuits in the hunt groups employed and enable the service provider to monitor and alter the hunt group capacities to ensure that the appropriate class of service is being delivered to its subscribing user group.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method for enabling multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a first shared dial hunt group accessible by a first user group subscribing to a first service level and a second user group subscribing to a second service level; b) providing a second dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by the second user group subscribing to the second service level; c) identifying incoming calls for either first level service treatment or second level service treatment; d) initially assigning calls from both first level service subscribers and second level service subscribers to circuits in the first dial hunt group; and e) when all circuits in the first dial hunt group are busy, routing new calls from the second level service subscribers to circuits in the second dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers.